Interpreting Islam and its relations to other religions and ideologies in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the U.S. and elsewhere.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Readers' Comments on My Article "Promoting Religious Pluralism"

Dear Muhamad --Im' a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor (www.csmonitor.com) and ambased in Jakarta. I read your op-ed with great interest and would like totalk with you, particularly your comments about the denial of an historicalframe of reference for reading the Quran.I'm currently working on a story that is simple in design, difficult inexecution, that asks the following two questions: 1. How many Salafypesantren are there in Indonesia now? 2. Has the number grown? 3. Are suchschools a threat to Indonesia's own Moslem traditions.If you're interested in chatting, let me know when and at what number i cancall you. Best regards, Dan

Hi,

As a Christian living in Australia I applaud yourrecent enlightning article in the Jakarta Post.comabout promoting religious pluralism.

My mother, being Indonesian, when we lived inHawaii in the 1960's - 70s, used to invite to ourhumble house many of the Indonesian studentsat the East West Centre for traditional ryst tafel.

She taught me at a very young age the importanceof tolerance. God blessed her with a long and healthylife, she is now 99, retired in Holland.

The recent tradegy in Bali has hit my Australianfriends very hard, since many of the victimshad very strong local community ties.

Fortunately, because of the strong insistenceof our government and religious leaders, thishas not resulted in revenge attacks here, otherthan some minor shows of intolerance by whatI can say are people ignorant of any religion.

Selamat Idul Fitri, 1 Syawal 1421H,I have read your brief promoting religious pluralism dated December 7,2002 issued by the Jakarta Post. We wish to have in our country a numberof wisemen as you do in order to lead all the believers aspeciallly forour brothers and sisters who have been so called Muslimin and Muslimat.By implementing what you have written in your subject "Promotingreligious pluralism" will lead the believers to the staright way towardsthe salvation.I personally believe that such way each believer will skip out ofmisunderstanding among the religious' believers.Wishing you will be successfully in pursuing your PhD.Wassalam,Jamaluddin Siregar

Halo Pak Muhamad

I read your article in The Jakarta Post,it was nice.I have a question;does it say in the Holy Koran that a Christian/Catholic,Hindu,etc,etc, man can't marry a Muslim woman?The head of KMNU is also a smart and very deep person like you.We need to hear more people like you two,we hear more words from fundamentalists and people like your Vice President,and no words from your President hear in America.You now know and see the news we get.People here see those demos and think people from Indonesia hate them(U.S.A. and the West).But people like me know that in your country I can pay for a demo!As a Black American living in your country,I had friends that were very poor and very rich.They were all the same to me.The people of Pencak Silat thought like you also,they are and will always be my big family.One more thing,what happened to Pak Amien?He has changed very much.Yah,I can understand that it can and is hard to trust the U.S.A.,but he is paranoid.It could be all about 2004,the elections.I guess that's politics.It's the same here,and he did go to school here for a while.How do you like Hawaii?Now that last question was stupid,I know you like it allot.You picked the right place to go to school.Very peaceful and serene.Keep up the good work and study hard!God be with you bro! See ya!!